American Apparel's Same-store Sales Fall 20 Pct

LOS ANGELES (AP) — American Apparel Inc. said Thursday sales at stores open at least a year fell 20 percent in August, compared with a gain of 31 percent last year in the same period.

Consumers are cutting back on spending and focusing on necessities during the recession. American Apparel is known for trendy clothing and sometimes controversial advertising campaigns.

The Los Angeles-based company said the results included 186 stores in August.

Sales at stores open at least a year are a key indicator of retailer performance since they measure growth at existing stores rather than newly opened ones.

American Apparel opened one store in August, in Toronto.

At the end of the month, the company operated more than 270 stores in 20 countries.